The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-10-28
SETH'S "FTGGERIN'."
After Many Years He Makes Out
Balance Ahead.

He was not mathematician. but
from his youth up he had been Zig
grin as he pronounced it. form of
expression common to most business
men. and some women, not Bos-
tonian in elegance, but very popular
with "the masses"
He did some fggerin' when he made
up his mind to marry sweet. pretty
Neelie NARROW, who taught in the pri-
mary department of the public school,
and had known him since she was a
wee toddler. and he was gawky,
freckle-face schoolboy.
I've been figgerin'. he said to his
landlady. as he sat one night with PEN
Gil and paper before him. She had
looked in to collect his board bill. n
week before it was due. to protect her.
SELF.
I've fggered it out that it's as
cheap for two to live as one. mean
that it won't cost me any more TO get
married and take care of 4 wife than it
does to live single. You see. I've fig-
Gered it all out. The same fire will do
for both. and l won't have to pay ont
for rlendin@. and there's lot of ways
n young man spends money with his
friends that he can save if he has some
one TO look after him. I've got it ali down
here and added up. and there is a bal
ance in favor of my plan on the credit
side
'.He's figgerin' on the rule that what
amt enough for one. is plenty and to
spare for two," thought his landlady;
'''twon't work, but it's none of nv af-
fairs"
Seth Dakin married the little school
mistress. and for brief year they
boarded with his former landlady in
such a pinched and subdued style that
<they We're comfortably wretched most
of the time. and had it not been for the
genuine love that existed between
them. could never have survived their
domestic hardships. At the end of
the year Seth did some more fig
GERM
This time he figured himself into a
house and lot, on some installment
plan. and it looked so feasible that
Neclie clapped her hands with enthu-
siasm-very thin white hands, they
we're too.
..Are YOU sure it can be 6one?" she
asked. anxiously. as she reckoned up
the long column OF items. '.Can we
ever pay for them?"
Easiest thing in the world. dear"
Seth answered. gently. He was very
fond of his Neelie. If she had no cloak
fit to wear. neither did he have any
Overcoat, but went out on the coolest
day buttoned up and trim.
You've forgotten Your overcoat,
Mr.. Dahin," said polite friend to him
one day; aren't You cold?"
-N-n-E-ever w-wear o-o-one," stam-
mered the poor fellow. shivering like
hungry dog over bone. Il
s-s-should d-despise to r-r-oll up l-like
an o-o-ld w-woman"'
You see he was only clerk on a
beggarly stipend in time and place
that demanded luxurics; carpets in
Sltdd VI pic
stead OF brown leaves or cabbage and
beans: he could as well have turned
cannibal as to have tried TO do without
the kind of food they had been reared
upon.
..Fixgers don't lie" he said. cheer
fully, ''Neelie, we'll have home"
The house was built for them and
they moved in. For another year they
pinched and saved. and pared down to
the bone. Then Seth began to Zig
ger" again.
This time it was the baby.
He was as cheerful and light-hearted
not the baby but Seth-as if the debt
on the house was not staring them in
face. He whistled and sung and one
night he sat down BY Neelie and show
ed her two long columns of credit and
debit.
I've been fggerin'." he said. gayly.
s.and that little shaver over there isn't
going to cost us cent I've put every
thing down that he can possibly need for
year, and it only adds up fifty dollars.
WHY, ciu Eahc tiIai W wiltiHS UP
jooks in the evening this winter"
Neelie smiled, but it was a sad, wan
smile. She began to see how Seth's
-.fgger:n' came out-aiways deficit
instead of balance. but she hadn't
the heart to discourage him.
The baby grew and thrived. His
mother was his nurse. She was also
chief cook and seamstress, as well as
mistress and housekeeper.
1--WE been figgerin, began Seth
one evening, ''that the baby is the best
economist in the family. He keeps us
from going anywhere. SO We can't
spend any money for outside pleasures
If We try. And we're ever SO much
happier together, amt we, little man,
map"
The little mamma looked very tired,
but she assented with her whole heart
to what Seth said. Here WAS her
world. These two were her treasures